Web design startup features live conversations

Keen Studio, an emerging web development firm on the West Side, is aiming at bringing web practices from big-city markets to Grand Rapids. The 3-year-old company uses web technology inspired by international companies to interact with businesses all around the world via live chat and webcam feed directly to its studio.

James Mikrut, user interface and experience director for Keen, joined the company started by his brother and another business partner in 2015.

Coming from working for Cleverbridge, a German e-commerce company in Chicago, Mikrut experienced larger companies’ use of language platforms like JavaScript and AngularJS to make complex web interfaces more manageable.

Mikrut wanted to apply the Cleverbridge’s approach to web innovation, which he said is present locally but not as prominent in larger markets.

“I kind of miss that from the bigger markets,” Mikrut said, “the focus on the newest technologies, the